Lemon Rice - Version 2

Ingredients

Cooked rice-2 cups

Lemon-1

Crushed Ginger-Garlic-1tablespoon

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Red chillies-4 (adjust to taste)

Green chilly-1

Channa dal-1teaspoon

Urad dal-1teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon

Cilantro-to garnish

Sugar-1/2teaspoon

Salt

Oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Let them pop up.

Add the crushed ginger-garlic and sauté for 30 seconds(till the raw smell has gone)

Then add the turmeric powder, broken red chillies, slit green chilly. 

Add the lemon juice after a minute and put off the stove. 

Let the pan sit on the stove for a minute, then take it out from the stove.

Now add the rice to the lemon juice mixture, add enough salt and 1/2teaspoon of sugar. Mix everything well. 

Now heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a small pan, add the channa and urad dal, fry them till it turns golden in color. 

Add it to the rice and give it a quick mix. 

Finally add the cilantro and the tangy and tasty lemon rice is ready.  Its great food for picnics and trips. 

Since we are frying the dal separately and adding it at the final step, they remain crunchy and enhances the taste. Adding ginger-garlic is also a new tip to me. This is my M-in-law's recipe.

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Spring Onion Stir-fry/Vengaayathaal Poriyal

Ingredients

Spring Onion/Green onion/Scallions/Vengaaya thaal - 2 small bunches

Chopped onion-1tablespoon

Green chilly-2 (adjust to taste)

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Channa dal-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1/2teaspoon

Grated coconut-2 teaspoons

Salt

Oil 

Method

Trim the edges of the spring onions and wash them. 

 Chop the spring onion into small pieces. Keep the onions-green chillies ready.

 Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the channa and urad dale, fry till they become golden in color. Add the chopped onions-green chillies, sauté until the onions become transparent. Add the chopped spring onions.

Continue sautéing for a few more minutes on medium heat. Spring onion wilt and shrink  very fast, then add enough salt..

 ..and grated coconut. Mix everything well and put off the stove.

Quick and yummy stir fry is ready to serve.

It goes well with white rice or with Sambar-rasam-curd rice as well as roti.

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Onion Puffs

Ingredients for the stuffing

Thinly sliced onion-1

Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Curry masala powder-1teaspoon

Chopped cilantro-1tablespoon

Salt

oil

Puff pastry sheets

Milk-1tablespoon

Method

Thaw the pastry sheet according to the instructions on the pack.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

Add the sliced onions and sauté on medium heat. 

Once they are transparent, add the salt and curry powder, give it a quick mix and switch off the stove.

Finally add the cilantro and let it cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cut the pastry sheets into desired shape.

Keep the stuffing in each sheet. 

Brush some water on the edges of the pastry sheet, and seal the edges.

Brush the sealed pastry with milk, and keep them on a lined baking sheet. 

Bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Flaky and delicious quick tea time snacks is ready!

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Jack Fruit Seed Stir-fry/Palakottai Aviyal

I buy Jack fruit at least once before the summer ends! This time (as usual) the fruit was not that sweet, but got some good quantity of jack fruit seeds. Was disappointed about the fruit and left the seeds to dry for 2-3 days! ;) Co-incidentaly I saw this recipe and prepared it. This is a nice variation to the usual pala kottai sambar or stir fry.

Ingredients

Pala kottai/Jack fruit seeds-1cup

Onion-1

Tomato-1

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Coconut oil-2teaspoons

Salt

To grind

Coconut-2tablespoons

Chilly powder-11/2teaspoons(adjust to your spice level)

Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon

Cumin seeds-1teaspoon

Pepper corns-7

Curry leaves- few

Method

If the jack fruit seeds are fresh, you can skip this step. Mine were little dry, so I boiled them for 5 minutes. 

Grind the coconut-chilly powder-turmeric powder-curry leaves-cumin seeds-pepper corns with little water to a fine paste.

Heat coconut oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them pop-up. Add thinly sliced onions and fry till they become transparent. Add the chopped tomato and cook until tomatoes become mushy.

Add the (pre cooked or fresh)jack fruit seeds and fry for a while.

Now add the masala paste..

Mix everything nicely and cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes.

Delicious Jack fruit seed stir fry is ready to serve. Goes well with rice as well as roti.
Recipe Inspiration: Here

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Wheat-Quinoa & Brown Rice Dosai

Ingredients

Wheat/Godumai-1/2cup

Quinoa-1/2cup

Brown rice-1/4cup

Urad dal-1/4cup

Methi seeds-1/2teaspoon

Method

Gather all the ingredients..

Wash and soak wheat-quinoa-brown rice and methi seeds for 4 to 5 hours.
Wash and soak the urad dal for 11/2hours.

Grind all the ingredients into a smooth batter, add enough salt, mix it.

Keep it in a warm place for 8 to 10 hours.

Fermented batter..

Add water (if necessary) and make dosai as we do for regular dosai. Healthy and tasty dosa are ready to serve.

Enjoy it with your favorite side dish.

We had it with Channa masala and coconut chutney.

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Cauliflower Masala Oats

Ingredients

Rolled Oats-1cup

Cauliflower masala- as required [Click here for the step-by-step recipe]

Method

Make the cauliflower masala.[Click here for the step-by-step recipe]. This masala is a multi-purpose masala, you can stuff them in dosa, or have it as a side dish for rice, roti etc. This time I tried adding it with oats. The outcome was just perfect. :) 

Meanwhile, dry roast the oats on low heat until a nice aroma emanates and let it cool.

Boil 11/4cup to 11/2cup of water (depending on the quality of oats).
Add the oats to the water and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the oats is done but not too soft.
Combine the oats and cauliflower masala on low heat for a few minutes.
Thats it, tasty cauliflower masala oats is ready to serve.

Serve it with your favorite fruits, topped with chia seeds or flax seeds.

Or, serve the cauliflower masala oats with cucumber raita, boiled egg and banana.

Healthy and filling oats recipe with Indian touch! :) 

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Pakarkai Pitlai/Bittergourd Gravy with Channa

Ingredients
Bitter gourd-2 (1/2cup, chopped)
Thoor dhal-1/4cup
Cooked channa- one fist full
Tomato-1
Tamarind juice(thick)-1/4cup
Chilly powder-1teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Jaggery- a small piece
Salt
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Few curry leaves and cilantro
Oil
To roast & grind
Oil
Channa dal-1teaspoon
Coriander seeds-2teaspoon
Red chillies-3 (adjust to taste)
Grated coconut-2tablespoons
Hing/Asafoetida- a generous pinch

Method
Pressure cook the thoor dal and channa separately and keep it ready.
Chop the bitter-gourd and tomato into small pieces.
Heat little oil in a small pan, roast the items under "to roast & grind" without burning any. Let it cool completely, then grind it to a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the chopped bitter-gourd, fry for a few minutes. Then add the cooked channa and tomato.
Cook until tomatoes become soft n mushy, then add the tamarind juice, chilly powder, turmeric powder.
Let it boil nicely till the bitter-gourd is 3/4th done.
Mix the masala with the cooked dal and add it to the bitter-gourd.
Cook it on medium heat for 5-6 minutes.

Add the jaggery, curry leaves and cilantro, put off the stove.
Tasty Pavakkai pitlai is ready to serve. It tastes great with white rice and some veggie fry.

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Mooli ka Paratha/Radish Paratha/Mullangi Chapathi

Ingredients for stuffing
Grated radish-1cup
Green chillies-3
Finely chopped onion-3tablespoons
Amchoor powder/Dry mango powder-1/2teaspoon
Chilly powder-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Chopped cilantro-1tablespoon
Salt
For paratha
Whole wheat flour-11/2cups
Ghee-1teaspoon
Salt
Water
Method
Peel and grate the radish. Squeeze out the water completely. [Reserve the water to knead the dough]
Take the grated radish, chopped onion, dry mango powder, chilly powder, cumin seeds, salt and chopped green chillies in a pan and start cooking.
Saute until the radish becomes dry and the raw smell of the spice powders are gone. (say 4 to 5 min. on low medium heat)
Finally add the cilantro and let it cool.

Take the whole wheat flour,  salt and ghee in a bowl. Mix it with your fingers, add the water reserved from the radish and normal water little by little, knead the dough as we make it for roti.
Keep it covered for at least 1/2 hour.

Make equal sized balls out of the dough. Roll them into small circles, flatten the edges with your fingers. Keep 2 teaspoons of stuffing in the center, seal it up nicely.
Repeat the same with all the dough and stuffing.

With the help of dry flour, roll the parathas into thin discs. Heat a griddle, and cook the parathas by drizzling oil/ghee/butter on both sides.
Soft and delicious Radish parathas are ready to serve. Enjoy them with plain yogurt or pickle.

Note
Be carful while grating-squeezing out the water from the radish. Some vegetables are really hot and make your fingers burn! ;) 

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